Egg-crate.



T. H. GIBBON.

I EGG CRATE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 4, 1914.

1,1395% Patented May18,1915.

gmuniioz THOMAS H. GIBIBON, OF ASTORIA, NEW YORK.

EGG-CRATE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 18, 1915.

Application filed February 4, 1914.. Serial No. 816,535.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS, H. GIBBQN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Astoria, county of Queens, and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Egg-Crates, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

This invention relates to a class of crates adapted to be used for transporting eggs.

My invention has for its object primarily to provide an egg crate designed to be employed for enabling eggs to be readily packed therein, and safely transported, or stored, and wherein is provided a casing in which are arranged a number of support-s, or uprights each formed with a corresponding number of superposed steps of different widths longitudinally so as to be disposed on an incline with relation to each other. On the steps of the uprights are removably mounted a plurality oftrays having openings therethrough for reception of the eggs, and these apertured trays are spaced apart suflicient distances to permitthe eggs to be carried by the trays in suspension, thereby largely overcoming the danger of breakage of the eggs while being transported, or when the crate may be moved from place to place.

Other objects of the invention are to provide in the casing a movable false bottom which supports the uprights and the trays; to provide spring actuated means which serve as cushions for the false bottom in order to obviate shocks to the eggs when the crate is moved; to provide upon the bottom of the crate and at the corners thereof yield ing elements, or buffers whereby jarring of the crate from impact caused by contact with another bddy will be overcome; and to provide cups adapted to be removably inserted in the apertures of the trays so that the variations in the sizes of eggs may be compensated for to permit large, medium, or small eggs to be safely carried in the crate. -With these and other objects in view, the invention will be hereinafter more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views, and will then be'pointed out in the claims at the end ofthe description.

In the drawing, Figure 1 a longitudinal vertical section through one form of egg crate embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan, partly broken away of the crate, with its top removed therefrom. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view showing an elevation of one of the uprights at the corners interiorly of the casing. Fig. 4 is an elevation of two of the center uprights used in the casing. Fig. 5 isa top plan, partly fragmentary, of

one of the apertured trays of the crate. Fig

6 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the cups for retaining the eggs in the apertures of the tray, and Fig. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of a part of one of theor uprights 17 18, 19, 20, all of which aresubstantially square as viewed transversely.

Each of the uprights 17, 18, 19, 20, has two vertically disposed smooth surfaces at right angles to each other so as to movably fit against the opposed parts of the inner surfaces of the side walls and end walls of the casing of thecreate. The opposite surfaces of each of the uprights are tapered from the bottom to the top thereof, and these surfaces are angularly cut-out at equal distances to form a series of superposed steps, as 21 and 22, of different widths longitudi nally so that the steps of each series will be disposed on an incline with relation to each other. Also within the casing 10, and

centrally of the sidewalls 12 and 13 thereof.

are two supports, or uprights 23 and 24, both of which are substantially rectangular as viewed transversely, and each of these uprights has a vertically disposed smooth sur- 7 face 25 in the center of which is a vertical groove 26. The three other surfaces of each of the uprights 23 and 24 are corres pond ingly tapered from the bottom to the top thereof, and these surfaces are cut-out at equal distances to formthree series of superposed steps 25?, 26 27 of difierent widths longitudinally so that the steps of all of the series will be disposed on similar inclines with relation to each other as well as corresponding to the steps of thetuprights 17,118, 19, 20.. When the uprights 23 and 24 are disposed in the casing 10 each disposed so that its vertical smooth surface will movably abut against the inner surface of one of the side Walls of the casing, and to hold said uprights against lateral movement, but permit these uprights to move in upward or downward directions, on the side walls are provided stays 28 and 29. The stays 28 and 29 are slightly smaller in dimensions than the grooves 26, and in each groove is seated one of the stays.

The corresponding steps of all of the uprights are on the same relative plane. Removably mounted on each set of the steps 21 and '22 of the uprights 17 and 18, and also removably mounted on similar sets of the steps 25 and 27 of the uprights 23 and 24 are a'number of substantially rectangular trays '30; Likewise removably mounted on each set of the steps 21 and 22 of the uprights 19 and 20 as well as being removably mounted on the similar sets of the steps 27 and 26 are a number of substantially recv tangular trays 31. Each of the trays 30 and 31 has its corners cut-out, as at 32, 33, 34, 35, so as to rest upon the top of its respective set of the steps and fit between its supporting uprights to avoid shifting, or accidental displacement, and through each of the trays are a number of spaced openings. 36 adapted to receive eggs 37. The openings 36 of the alternate trays of each set-in'the casing are spaced apart so that the openings ofthe intermediate trays will correspondto the parts of the trays above and below which are between each pair of the openings thereof. The eggs in each tray will thereby be disposed in staggered relation with the eggs in the tray thereunder, as shown in F ig; l, and the risers of the steps of all the uprights of the casingare of sufficient heights to space the trays of each set apart for the eggs to be clear of contact with the trays above and below whereby the eggs will be held in suspension in the casing.

In orden to compensate for the variations in the sizes of eggs to permit large, medium, or small eggs to be readily accommodated in the trays, I provide a suitable'numberof' cups, as ,38. Each of the cups 38 has anannular wall 39 with a 'closedlower end, and this wall is of a diameter toadapt it to fit snuglyin any' opening of the trays. The wall 39 of each cup tapers'toward its lower end, and extending outwardly from the upper peripheral edge of the wall of each cup is an annular flange 40. The cups and all of the trays are made ofcardboard, or other yielding material adapted to safely hold the eggs, and when packing the crate' with eggs "which aretoo small to be held in suspension in'the openings proper of the trays each egg-is disposed'in one of the cups 38,

. r and the cup with its egg is then inserted one of theopening'sof'the trays, thus eggs of all sizes may be properlypackedin the crate for safe transportation. 1

' the form 'of a spiral. spring; I bufi'ers'45, 46, 47, 48 are applied to the member of each bufl er All of the uprights and the trays are supported in the casing 10 upon a movable false bottom, as 41, and serving as cushions for the false bottom to avoid shocking, or breakage of the eggs in the crate when moved, to the parts of theunderside of the false bottom, the uprights, and the trays will yie'ldingly move sufliciently in the cas ing '10 to overcome damage to the eggs due to shocking of the crate when being transported from place to place.

casing 10 of the crate. In'this manner the For the purpose of. preventing jarring of the crate from impact by contact with another body, a number of yielding elements, or buffers, as 45, 46,47, 48 areprovided. All of the buffer-s45, 46, 47, 48 are alike'in formation, and one of the buffers is positioned upon the bottom of the casing 10 of the crate at each corner thereof. Each of the bufiers has a resilient member 49 and a co-acting spring member 50. The members 49 are made of rubber, or other resilient material, and'each of said membersha's a substantially U-shaped body part 51', whereby a recess 52 is provided therein. Extending in alinement in opposite lateral directions from the free ends of each body part are two arms 53 and 54 each of'which has an elongated opening, as 55 and 56, therethrough, and upon the free'end of the arm 55 of each of the resilient members 49 is an upwardly projecting flange 57. In the rece'ss 52 of the body part of each of the members 49 is provided one of the members 50, and each of the members 50 is preferably in When the crate. the resilient member and the spring one ofthe buffers is disposed on theunderside of the bottom of the casing 10 at each corner thereof so that its flange 57 will abut 11.

against the lower part of the wall adjacent to its respective corner of the casing. By

means of screws, or bolts passed through the elongated openings 55 and 56 the buffer will are assembled, and.

which connect the buffers to the casing'are preferably smaller than the elongated openings 55' and.56' to permit the armsof the resilientmembers to move under excessive weight upon the crate, thereby preventing jarring I of the eggs therein, while the flanges57 will serveito relieve theforce of impact upon the crate when moved in contact, with another body.

. In the foregoing descriptioml haveeme bodied the preferred form of my invention, but I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself thereto, as I am aware that modifications may be made therein without departing from the principle, or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention, therefore I reserve to myself the right to make such changes as fairly fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentz- 1. In an egg crate, a rectangular casing, a plurality of vertically disposed supports removably disposed in the casing, one at each corner and one midway of each of the sides of the casing, all of said supports having a series of angular steps tapering from the bottom to the top thereof, and all of said supports being disposed upon a false bottom removably positioned within the casing, a plurality of trays removably support- 7 ed on the angular steps of the supports one above another and each having a plurality of openings for receiving eggs and holding them at suitable distances from one another whereby the eggs are prevented from coming in contact; in combination with means comprising springs secured to the under side of the false bottom for preventing jarring the eggs when the crate is handled, and buffers secured to the corners of the bottom of the crate, substantially as shown and described.

2. In an egg crate of the character described, having a substantially rectangular casing, a bottom, and a false bottom, upright tapering stepped supports, one in each of the corners of the crate, two supports, one midway of each of the side walls thereof, said supports being disposed upon the false bottom, and said supports midway of the side walls being provided with grooves extending vertically in the side thereof adjacent to the wall, a guide on each side wall removably fitting in the groove of the adjoining support, a plurality of trays disposed one above the other on the steps of the supports, and each tray having a plurality of openings for receiving eggs, and a plurality of cups fitting in the openings of the trays so as to vary the size of the openings for accommodating eggs of various sizes, substantially as shown and described.

This specification signed and witnessed this third day of February A. D. 1914.

THOMAS H. GIBBON.

Witnesses:

Ros'r. B. ABBOTT, M. DERMODY.

Copies of this patent ma; be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

